legislation to reauthorize violence against women's act is delayed, is another moment they are left without the resources and protection that they deserve. the women in this country are watching and waiting. >> the violence against women act helps protect women against domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. the senate reauthorized the law back in may. but in the house, republicans refuse to pass it. instead pushing their own version that excludes gays, undocumented immigrants, and students. now the clock is ticking. republicans are delaying and the law hangs in the balance. on friday 200 survivors of domestic violence wrote a letter to congress demanding action. now "the new york times" is ripping the gop for the delay. it's just the latest example of republicans putting ideology

ahead of women's issues. part of a pattern we've seen since the midterm election. last month republicans killed the paycheck fairness act, a bill that would help close the gender pay gap between men and women. and in state capitals across the country, conservatives are passing laws that actually hurt women. so far this year, 15 states have passed 40 laws to limit women's reproduction rights. everything from abortion bans to insurance coverage to forced ultrasounds. nothing is off limits when it comes to the war on women. and they're not letting up. just yesterday south dakota upheld a law requiring doctors to tell women seeking abortion they're at a greater risk for suicide. even the experts say the information may be unreliable and misleading. from day one the gop has been working against women's health

and women's rights. and it looks like they're not going to stop anytime soon. joining me now is senator barbara boxer, democrat from california. senator boxer, thanks for coming on the show, first of all. >> thank you. >> how does the gop delay on the violence against women act fit a larger pattern that we've been seeing regarding women? >> well, it seems that every day they come up with a new way to punish women. i don't get it. i don't know why they're doing it. i have to believe that they want to see women without power because really when you talk about women's health and you try to shut down access to health as they did by defunding planned parenthood, thankfully we restored that, you affect the lives of 5 million women who rely on planned parenthood for health care. so when women are not well and they have no place to go, they

feel that they've lost their ability to compete in the world, to hold down jobs, to take care of their families. so i think it's really something that i can't answer as to why they do it. but that's the impact. now, this delay in the violence against women act is one that you have laid out beautifully. and i thank you so very much. many times i feel like i'm in a bunker and we keep getting issue after issue. but this one really sums it up. the house bill leaves out 30 million people out of the protection. students on college campuses, lbgt communities. we look at the immigrant women, they're left out. and native american women one-half of whom are abused. we cover them in the bipartisan senate bill. this is the bill that passed with well over 60 votes. the house can take it up and pass it. instead they write a bill that leaves out 30 million people and expect us to say that's fine.

message to the house, message to speaker boehner. it is not fine. we need you to take up our bill and pass it. >> and this was a bipartisan bill that passed in the senate. >> yes. >> you mentioned planned parenthood. last night president obama got very personal about his feelings on the war on women and he mentioned planned parenthood as well. listen to this, senator. >> okay. >> mr. romney wants to get rid of funding for planned parenthood. i think that is a bad idea. i've got two daughters. i want them to control their own health care choices. >> i think the president addressed this strongly and i think he's saying in the same spirit of the bipartisan bill that passed the senate. >> absolutely. i mean, this president understands that planned parenthood -- you know, what the republicans have you believe is that all planned parenthood does is abortions. the truth of the matter is 97% of what they do is health care,

breast cancer screenings, cervical cancer screenings, well checkups. this is what they do. and they'll do charity work. they'll allow you to pay what you can afford. and for many women, reverend al, millions of women all across our great nation, they are the first line of care. and the republicans went straight after them. and frankly, i think they're on the wrong side. i think president obama is on the correct side. i think women know who's on their side. i hope they know who's on their side. if you look at mr. romney, he wants to overturn roe v. wade. he would defund planned parenthood. he supports the ryan budget that destroys the things that children and families need. so this is important for women to understand how key it is that they get out and they vote in this presidential race, for the senate races, and in the house races. >> you know what bothers me,

senator. i understand ideology, but some of these things are actually hurting women. and then beyond hurting women, they're insulting women. some of the rhetoric and some of the things we've heard. listen to some of these almost hateful kind of speech we've heard from the right wing. >> got to make anybody watch. okay. so you just have to close your eyes. >> this contraceptive thing, it's so inexpensive. in my days they used bayer aspirin for contraception. the girls put it between their knees. >> what does it say about the college coed susan fluke who goes before a congressional committee and essentially says that she moub paid to have sex? what does that make her? it makes her a slut, right? it makes her a prostute. she wants to be paid to have sex. >> i mean, the language and the tone of this is down right dirty.

but how does this kind of language -- how's this shaping the debate, senator boxer? >> well, what i hope it's doing is sending a loud and clear message to every self-respecting woman that they should turn away from this republican party. this is not the republican party of your grand dad. this party has moved to the far right. they are ideological. they're conducting a war against women, against the middle class, and the worg rks force. today we had a vote on tax cuts. the democratic plan passed. not one republican vote. they voted against giving tax cuts to the middle class and the working force. and by the way, it always reduces the deficit by a good amount. that walked away from that because they wanted to give tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires and it wasn't good enough for them. so i have to say this election is so critical and it is so important that everybody weigh in and that women weigh in and

they go to the people who love them and they explain what's on the line. everything is on the line. >> very, very, very serious times. senator barbara boxer, california, thank you for your leadership on this issue as well as for your time tonight. >> thank you. coming up, today one party voted to raise taxes on the rich. the other party voted to raise taxes on the poor. can you guess which is which? plus a judge names a new temporary guardian for michael jackson's kids. and conservatives take aim at the muppets. these folks really have too much time on their hands. you're watching "politicsnation" on msnbc. with the spark cash card from capital one,

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folks, have you checked us out on facebook? the "politicsnation" conversation is going all day long. today "politicsnation" fans were fired up about the senate middle class tax cut vote. robert joked sarcastically, don't people know? the grover pledge about not raising taxes is only for the rich. karen had tough words for some senators. quote, all who voted against the middle class need to be voted out of office. while lisa had her own spin on the entitlement mentality. quote, if anyone has an entitlement mentality in this

country, it's the rich and the very rich. we want to hear what you think too. head over to facebook and search "politicsnation" and like us to join the conversation that keeps going long after the show ends. we hope to see you there. i am going to become facebook friends with our babysitter. no. these work, right? no. all right. mom! look what i found in the shed! no! no! no! ♪ ew! were you guys just making out in here? what? no! is it okay if i quit my job and start a blog? no. really? cold cuts from a package? yes. [ male announcer ] in a world filled with "no," it's nice to finally say "yes." new oscar mayer selects deli meat. the tastes you love and no artificial preservatives. it's yes food. and i thought "i can't do this, it's just too hard." then there was a moment. when i decided to find a way to keep going. go for olympic gold and go to college too.

[ male announcer ] every day we help students earn their bachelor's or master's degree for tomorrow's careers. this is your moment. let nothing stand in your way. devry university, proud to support the education of our u.s. olympic team. folks, this election gives the country a clear choice. someone fighting for all americans and someone fighting for the top 1%. joe biden laid out whose side the white house is on today at a firefighters union.

>> this is not your father's republican party. they really, really believe that they have to cut you and millions of other middle class americans in order to rebuild this economy. because they believe it is core. they believe the way to rebuild the economy in this great nation is from the top down. we know the way to grow this economy. to coin an old phrase, it's the old fashioned way. from the middle out. >> vice president biden knows that it's the middle class that's suffering. that's why he came to the senate floor today to lend support for a bill that would provide tax relief to 98% of americans. while asking the top 2% to pay just a little bit more. it was a bill that made sense. that helped the working class while dealing with our deficit at the same time. yet despite that, 46 republicans voted no. they voted against the middle

class. how's that for priorities? how's that for absurdity? but do you know what's more absurd? that when brave members of congress stand up and fight for the middle class and stand up to big interest, they become political targets. a report out today says that the conservative business lobby, the u.s. chamber of commerce, is unleashing ads against five democrats in tough senate races. and get this, it's been bank rolled by at least $100 million from companies. one of those five democrats being targeted is ohio senator sherrod brown. he's made a name for himself by standing up for what's right and he did it again today when he voted for the middle class tax break. joining me now is senator sherrod brown, democrat from ohio. senator brown, first of all thanks for coming on the show tonight. >> good to be back. thank you. >> you have a history of standing up for what's right. you did it again today.

but clearly it's made you a focus on the right. how are you going to deal with this avalanche of money that's being planned to be spent against you? >> well, they've spent $10.5 million so far. the u.s. chamber i heard just bought another $800,000 or $900,000 more. they don't really know where the money comes from. we figure it's from the oil industry. we figure it might be chinese money tied in with the outsourcing of jobs. you keep fighting for the middle class. you stand up. at the end it's whose side you're on. i don't think people think conservative, liberal, they think whose side are you on? in today's vote it shows are you on the side of the middle class or always hold out for tax cuts for the rich. in my state, it's 99% of taxpayers got a tax cut today. we need the house to do the same thing.

>> explain to people what was at stake here in the tax cut bill. what does it mean? you said what happens in your state. tell the average american watching what was at stake with this vote. >> what's at stake is the republicans want to give tax cuts for the wealthiest people and everything else is secondary. so they'll vote no on this tax cut for the middle class because they're so always in the tank with the wealthiest people. whether it's the oil company tax breaks. whether it's protecting large companies that outsource jobs, protecting their tax breaks. in the end it's always that. it's always their wealthiest contributors. that's why this fall is so crucial. we have -- on my website we have literally 250,000 people that have signed our petition for fighting back on these issues, on all the money that's come into the state. my state and other states for

this corporate money from the billionaire's money. they're trying to protect oil companies. they're trying to protect the outsourcers. >> now, what gets me, senator, is the republican tax proposal is pretty brazen. i mean, it's bold in how it sides with the rich. look at this. it would allow for over a million dollars tax breaks to wealthier states. yet at the same time it would let tax credits expire for some 13 million working families. if you look at how this is not even subject to interpretation on embellishing, this is where they're outright in their proposal saying what would help in many ways the rich. and let me show you what senator hatch, the bill's sponsor, called the president on the floor today. let me show you senator hatch. >> like a petulant child, he is

insisting it is his way or the highway. we've had far too much of that. it is the political equivalent of a temper tantrum. and i expect that american voters will have about as much patience for this as they would a similar fit from their children. >> so this is how senator hatch describes the president. the basis of their bill is a tax proposal that would give a tax break to wealthy estates of a million dollars or more. it is incredible how bold and brazen it is. you usually get some form of at least cover. and they try to finesse it, but this is a kind of in your face to the middle class kind of policy that is stunning. yet there are those that feel they can get away with it. and i really, really believe we've got to bring the message home that this election is about

the middle class and the working poor dealing with those that are rich. and if we get that not only on the presidential level but in the senate level, like you senator brown, i think that voters will at least know what's at stake and what we're dealing with here. when you have such a brazen and bold proposal from the republicans. >> yeah. and i think, reverend sharpton, i think on all of these issues -- in my state it's whose side are you on on the auto rescue. there were jobs connected in ohio to the auto industry. many of those people still working in the awe troe industry wouldn't have been working if we didn't stand up. it's not conservative-liberal, it's whose side you're on in these issues. i think president obama and the senate democrats today showed they're on the side of the american people and side of the people who want an opportunity to get ahead, want to work, want to own a house, want to live the

american dream. just give them a little bit of tax help so they have that opportunity. >> now, they've poured a lot of money in. they're pouring more money in to get you and at least four other democrats into races. the real clear politics polling shows that you are leading your opponent by about nine points. but as we said in the intro, they're pouring millions of dollars in against you. how are you battling that, senator? >> well, as of today what they've spent is about a little over $11 million. there's been -- we're getting outspent six to one, something like that. first of all, you build the grassroots effort. we have a couple hundred thousand people that came to my website to help. continue to keep your eye, keep

focused on what you do to help to provide opportunity for people that want to be in the middle class. whether it's auto rescue, whether it's voting for middle class tax cuts. whether it's trying to take away subsidies for the oil industry, or trying to provide tax breaks for companies to come back here instead of tax breaks for companies that go overseas. there are a lot of things we can do. it's pretty simple and pretty direct and how you fight for the middle class. >> senator, sherrod brown, thanks for joining us. >> thank you, reverend sharpton. very much. still ahead, the mystery of mitt romney and bain capital grows deeper. some big news tonight on what he was doing after he supposedly left the company. plus growing turmoil in the jackson family. today michael jackson's three children have a new guardian. and they're at it again. the right wing is on the attack against the muppets. what's next?

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zblrmts folks, i have an announcement to make. an announcement to make. are you ready? the right wing's not happy.

not happy at all. we all know they love to slam the liberal media, environmentalists, and sometimes the french. but for some reason they've got a problem with fake puppets made out of felt. that's right. they're going after the muppets. last week the company that created the muppets decided to cut ties with the fast food restaurant chick-fil-a after their president said he opposed marriage equality. and now the right wing is furious with kermit. conservative blogs say the muppets are shedding their a-political ping-pong eyeballs and asking when does kermit marry fozzie bear. and accuses the muppets of being

anti-inclusive bigots. so these guys support chick-fil-a which donates to anti-gay groups and are attacking characters made of felt. but they have a history of going after characters. remember when jared farwell went after the teletubbies? >> this is one of many building blocks where we have little women running around with purses and acting feminine. >> and let's not forget spongebob squarepants have a hidden agenda. >> the spongebob book says it's a man made problem that requires human intervention. >> they're presenting it as fact. >> and the muppets. they've been the subject of right wing's rants before. >> we called on to the muppets movie for brainwashing our kids with an anti-capitalist agenda.

how more demonizing can you be to capitalism? it's terrible. >> they're going after the muppets, teletubbies, spongebob. come on, this is hilarious. but did they think we'd let attacks on kermit go unanswered? nice try, but we got you. [ female announcer ] want to spend less and retire with more?

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reports. now, this new report adds to a pile of mounting evidence that contradicts romney's claim he left in 1999. he submitted paperwork to the s.e.c. listing himself as ceo and the president of bain. in 2001 romney's s.e.c. filing said the same thing. president and ceo of bain. but his financial disclosure field -- i mean, his financial disclosure filed last year signed by romney says quote, since february 11, 1999, mr. romney has not had an active role with any bain capital entity and has not been involved in the operations of any bain capital entity in any way. and he continues to deny he had any role in bain after he left to run the salt lake city, olympics.

>> i had no association with the banishment of bain capital after february of 1999. that's when i left the firm. i'm very pleased with the experience i had with the firm. as everyone knows, i went off to run the olympics. after that i came back and ran in massachusetts for governor. i had no role with bain capital after february 1999. >> joining me is jack gillum. he broke the story today. and eric mcpike, political reporter for real clear politics. often frequent helper of mine on the show. jack, let me ask you. how would you summarize what you found? >> my colleague and i decided once there was a lot of kwus around his time we said let's go

to the documents. we downloaded a trove of these documents. we found many with mitt romney's name attached to bain investments listing him as the sole director, shareholder, and ceo. we found his signature was also attached on about ten of these documents in which he had what's called a beneficial ownership stake in some of these. of the governor's meetings at the time. it was less about decisions and more about his decision away from the company. but at the same time we think these documents raised more questions than answers of what really happened during that period from '99 to 2001 as you say on the personal financial disclosure document, he says he was essentially sayonara as of february of 199. >> now, in your report you wrote and i'm quoting from your report

today on "the associated press." romney made repeated trips between salt lake city and boston where he met at times with his former partners. a legal expert said they told a.p. romney did not relinquish his bain ownership after taking the olympics role but that romney took care to avoid the day-to-day role of a corporate manager. which really means he really didn't totally leave in 1999 and have nothing to do with the company. >> right. i think what this raises for us is it shows, if anything, romney was transitions if not already transitioned his role out of bain. some said there was a difference between being an owner or having ownership stakes vish sus running the day-to-day operations of a company.

some of the documents showed romney had power of attorney. the bain's lawyers had some power of attorney over deciding some investments. again, i think for us it raises more questions than answers particularly as when we talked to campaign officials they have been reluctant to share -- give us a full picture of what happened during that period from '99 to '01. >> now, erin, as we go through the weeds of his finances, why does this even matter? why is this important in the politics of 2012 whether he left in 1999 as he said or whether he did not leave? what does this mean to the average voter in terms of why this should even be an issue? >> it contributes to this pattern of secrecy that we've seen mitt romney show over and over again. and as jack pointed out, it raises more questions. and that will be very important because that means that this conspiracy over bain, essentially, is not over. that reporters are going to

continue to investigate this until we get to the bottom of it and have final answers. that means that bain capital and romney's involvement with it will stay in the press and in ads in the obama campaign likely until election day. and that's not really a good thing for mitt romney. because that is not at all what he wants to be talking about. he wants to be talking about president obama's record. and that's pretty much it. >> but also is it true that a lot of the things in terms of outsourcing and closing of certain businesses that cost people their jobs happened after '99 and he was saying he had nothing to do with it, didn't benefit from it, didn't gain from it. so he's trying to really adjust the time so he cannot have any responsibility at all for some of the things bain has been accused of doing to workers. >> he's certainly trying to distance himself from that. we've seen that over and over again. but some of the documents that have come out have shown his signature is on some of these

deals with some companies. so he may have had some sort of advisory role even if it wasn't in day-to-day. so he could bear some responsibility for that. i think that is the key. those are the questions that are raised still. >> now, let me go back to you, jack. in a recent usa today poll, more people think the president is more honest and trustworthy than romney. who is more honest and trustworthy was the question. president obama 47%. your article, though it raises more questions than it answers, certainly doesn't help mr. romney in this category. >> well, i think the thing we have to answer here that we have to look at further is what regulatory documents and what interactions can we find during this period that really shed light on this time from '99 to 2001. as we've been talking about, this was a period during which a

couple of companies had fell into bankruptcy and which there were other reports of outsourcing either to mexico or other countries. and i think trying to figure out romney's exact role during that period whether he had an ownership stake or day-to-day operations which some folks we talked to said he did not have i think is the key to figuring out those years. >> thank you both for your time tonight. >> thank you. coming up, a judge takes michael jackson's children away from their grandmother. who is the new guardian? and what does it all mean for those kids? but first, do we hear wedding bells for a certain north korean dictator? it's your summer break next. [ male announcer ] don't miss red lobster's four course seafood feast

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if you have high fever, confusion and stiff muscles or serious allergic skin reactions like blisters, peeling rash, hives, or mouth sores to address possible life-threatening conditions. talk about your alcohol use, liver disease and before you reduce or stop cymbaa.lt dizziness or fainting may occur upon standing. ask your doctor about cymbalta. imagine you with less pain. cymbalta can help. go to cymbalta.com to learn about a free trial offer. we're back with a pause from the political battles of the day. a time to rest, relax, and recharge. that's right. it's time for the "politicsnation" summer break. but today we've got a special north korea edition of our summer break for you. and it's not because of the blunder we saw today when the olympic organizers accidentally displayed south korea's flag

instead of the north korean flag in their preliminary soccer game. sorry about that, folks. instead, we want to celebrate the news that north korea's dictator kim jong-un is married to a mystery woman. he's been seen in the past few weeks with. but we couldn't help but wonder what north korean delights did he use to woo his new bride? was it with spectacular north korean fireworks shows? i wonder if he took her out to dine on giant rabbits. that was one of his father's favorite delicacies. maybe he appealed to maternal instinct by having hundreds of kids perform gymnastics spectacles. or maybe he ordered his soldiers to dance their way into her heart. or she could have been inspired by minnie and mickey mouse's

love during their unauthorized disney performance earlier this month. however you won her over, kim jong-un, congratulations on your marriage. may you live a long and happy life together. maybe she can help warm you up to the idea of democracy. this is new york state. we built the first railway, the first trade route to the west, the greatest empires. then, some said, we lost our edge. well today, there's a new new york state. one that's working to attract businesses and create jobs. a place where innovation meets determination... and businesses lead the world. the new new york works for business. find out how it can work for yours at thenewny.com.

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it's your daughter's wedding. did you know with your health insurance you may now have some preventive benefits with no co-pays or out-of-pocket costs? it isn't just your cholesterol screening. it's all the tomorrows you're looking forward to. learn more at healthcare.gov. now to developing news in the turmoil surrounding the jackson family. tonight there's a new temporary guardian for michael jackson's three young children. at an emergency hearing in california, a judge suspended the family matriarch katherine jackson and named t.j. jackson in her place. he's now legally in charge of michael jackson's children. joining me now is former prosecutor turned civil attorney

john kelly and alicia quarrels. new york correspondent for e! news. thank you both for being with me tonight. >> thank you. >> alicia, can you explain what happened in court today? >> so basically t.j. who's tito's son went and applied for temporary guardianship. now he can make all decisions for the children. who come in the house where the children live, and he also controls the $86,000 a month that katherine was getting from michael jackson's estate to take care of the kids. >> what basis legally could the judge have done that just on the word of t.j.? >> the other fact they took into consideration is katherine was missing from the household. the children returned from sleepover camp, the legal guardian were not there. the children were back in the house without anybody taking care of them at that time. they needed a guardian appointed. >> would you not think a judge would say i give the guardian

x-amount of time to come forward or something. and if the claims by t.j. was that she seemed like she was not herself on the phone, he could offer an examination. i mean, how do you take someone who had an interest in this word for the condition of ms. jackson. >> i think t.j. said she was slurring her words and using language and phrases she never used before. so the judge in the -- i guess an abundance of caution said you're the guardian tonight. if katherine comes in here and is of sound mind, he could reappoint her tomorrow. we're going to be back in court tomorrow or the day after. it's a very temporary situation. >> t.j. testified. he spoke with katherine jackson on the phone last night. he didn't sound right. here is what he said. quote, i have never heard my grandmother talk like that. she wasn't sharp. the pauses, choice of

vocabulary. she has not used phrases like that before. >> jackson is saying some of the kids kidnapped katherine jackson in an attempt to control the estate. paris jackson was tweeting out these desperate tweets. i haven't talked to my grandmother in nine days. where's my grandmother? so they're making it seem like katherine was being held against her will. then you've got jermaine saying that's not true. mother is fine. mother was ordered to rest. her lawyer went to see her in arizona. he said it was a spa resort. katherine's coming back, she wants custody of these kids. >> now, but the question becomes if i thought my mother or grandmother was kidnapped, wouldn't i be going to try to get her free? not going to try to get the kids? >> well, they're calling this is a bridge. somebody allegedly went to the police office and filed a missing person. the police did not pursue this. so they are trying to do that. in between these are three

minors that need a guardian. so t.j. who is 34 years old, the kids support him being the temporary guardian. somebody has to watch those kids. >> john, isn't this at the end of the day going to come down to there was some claims by randy and the others that the will of michael jackson that appointed all of these people was fake. that this was the claim, matter of fact he was on last night. >> my brother was not in los angeles on the day they swore on that will that he was. he was in new york. so therefore the will is fake. and they cannot answer that question. they've done whatever they can to try to turn family members against family members. >> now, on the day in question that's on that document, he was in new york with me at the headquarters. if it proves to be that this will was dated wrong and in fact

fake, won't this then change everything in terms of who was appointed? >> well, i think what the siblings are challenging right now is the date of the signature and they're looking to have the executors removed. they're not challenging the substance of the will. the three children are the when factors or katherine is the legal guardian. they're saying we know michael jackson was in new york. something nefarious went on it's dated and notarized at a different time than he signed it. they should not be executors. let's make sure everything is in perfect order. >> i've known michael since both of us were kids and i've known the jacksons. one thing i can guarantee, it's going to be a long haul to find out what happened. >> we're not talking about the brady bunch right now. >> he wouldn't have wanted this for his kids. >> absolutely. he loved his kids, his mother, his brothers and sisters. they're family. they love each other and i hope we'll follow this and it works out. we'll be watching the story as it continues to play out.

alicia and john, thank you for your time tonight. we'll be right back with a tribute to who is called the queen of soul food. sylvia woods. stay with us. every communications provider is different but centurylink is committed to being a different kind of communications company. ♪ we link people and fortune 500 companies nationwide and around the world.

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finally tonight i want to remember a very special woman. sylvia woods, the queen of soul food. she died last thursday. she was 86. today i had the honor of eulogizing her at the grace baptist church in mount vernon. she opened her famous restaurant sylvia's 50 years ago. though she had humble beginnings, sylvia turned her famous cooking into an institution. her staples of ribs, hot cakes, corn bread, fried chicken became the stuff of legend. and she introduced that soul food to a national audience

which supermarket products and cookbooks. michael blook berg said quote, she brought the world to harlem and she made sure that the world took harlem back home with them. sylvia was a pillar of the community, a place where regular people sat alongside celebrities and politicians. former president bill clinton was a frequent visitor. i spent a lot of time there myself with caroline kennedy and then-senator barack obama during his presidential campaign in 2007. other places might have served soul food, but it was sill via's personality that made us all feel like we were home with momma. she put her soul into that soul food. and for that, we will miss her. even after she started getting international acclaim and awards and celebrity and became more successful, she never stopped standing in the door, personally

greeting people with a smile and personally going around table to table asking people how they enjoyed the food and seeming to know a member of everyone's family. she taught us success is not how big you stand. success is how you keep your feet planted on the ground. and soul food was not just about your taste buds. it was about what you really believed inside. and how you conducted yourself. for this woman a walking testimony of the progress we've made from hemingway, south carolina, to harlem, she was able to attract global attention by doing something simple. putting on an apron, cooking like momma, but never losing her humility and never feeling she was a big shot. long after i quit eating soul food and meat, i still would go to sylvia's. because the real soul food at

sylvia's was sylvia. thanks for watching. i'm al sharpton. "hardball" starts right now. the army of the night. let's play "hardball." good evening. i'm chris matthews in washington. let me start with this tonight. i have this feeling about this presidential election between barack obama and mitt romney. it's not just about them, it's about the armies behind them. the people who share in their victory also in their defeat. look at the army of the night riding behind the presumptive republican nominee. it's a army of neocons for lack of a better word. they bring war with them in every election. an agenda of a country they want us to fight. people voted for w, they got iraq. why? because the army poised behind the uninformed ill-read w knew

what he didn't. when 9/11 struck, they struck. this time it's iran. but don't think they're going to end it there. these old cold warrers haven't been happy since the berlin wall fell. listen to romney's words. he didn't write them himself. he'll say what it takes to get the right wing behind him. but the right wing will follow him right to the white house. they will grab the levers of military power like rumsfeld and cheney before them. and they will use them. you can bet on that. joan walsh is a political analyst. joan, you're laughing because you know i'm telling the absolute truth. there is an army of john boltons out there and all these people. they have nothing else to do but get jobs in a new republican administration every ten years or so, or 12 years in which they can push for their latest war agenda. they are absolutely consistent. here's the question. who wins if